If the debtor was allowed to convert his case, he would immediately violate a deadline imposed by the Bankruptcy Code. While the court could modify that deadline, it refused to do so here because the debtor had “played fast and ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

The claim of an individual who was previously involved in a real estate joint venture with the debtor was significantly narrowed, in part because he failed to prove certain claimed amounts. Background This matter comes before the court on an ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

A bank’s claims were not barred by the statute of limitations because they were subject to Virginia’s six-year statute of limitations, not the five-year statute of limitations applicable to contracts, as the debtor argued. Background This matter comes before the court ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

A creditor who received notice of a bankruptcy filing and then contacted the debtor threatening criminal action if she did not pay, willfully violated the automatic stay and was ordered to pay $170 in actual damages and $500 in punitive ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Where the trustee made an offer to settle, which was agreed to for consideration, a binding settlement agreement was reached. But in a question of apparent first impression in the Fourth Circuit, the agreement is binding only if approved by ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Although the auctioneer’s own company placed the winning bid on the real property, the sale was not “inherently unfair” because the advertising for the auction, the bidding process and the actual bidding were conducted at arm’s length. However, because the ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Where Bank of the West violated an automatic stay, sought to collect a deficiency balance after the expiration period and willfully made repeated contact with the debtors despite requests from their counsel to stop, the bank was sanctioned and counsel ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Where a claimant did not immediately receive notice of the claim-filing deadline because the debtor provided an incorrect address, but she still had knowledge of the deadline with sufficient time to make a timely filing, her proof of claim filed ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

A debtor in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case was unable to recover garnished wages as an avoidable preference even though the wages were turned over to the judgment creditor within the 90-day preference period because the wages were garnished and ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Although the debtor admittedly made false statements and breached a deed of trust, he did not act with the requisite fraudulent intent and therefore the civil judgment is discharged. Background James Young filed a voluntary Chapter 7 petition in this ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy Judge Paul M. Black U.S. Bankruptcy Court